It takes about 10 years for a Christmas tree to reach maturity, and it’s a shame to kill a tree just so it can prop up ornaments and lights for a couple of weeks. Even though many cities do an admirable job of <a href="http://inhabitat.com/recycling-your-xmas-tree/">recycling trees</a> (or ‘treecycling’) after the holidays are over, it’s always a bit depressing to see hundreds of dried-up, tinsel-covered trees out on the curb in early January. So instead of heading out to a tree farm, you might consider bringing a live, potted tree into your home this winter....<br><br><a href='http://inhabitat.com/how-to-choose-a-living-christmas-tree-for-a-green-holiday-season/'>READ ARTICLE</a>

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How to choose a living tree

It takes about 10 years for a Christmas tree to reach maturity, and it’s a shame to kill a tree just so it can prop up ornaments and lights for a couple of weeks. Even though many cities do an admirable job of <a href="http://inhabitat.com/recycling-your-xmas-tree/">recycling trees</a> (or ‘treecycling’) after the holidays are over, it’s always a bit depressing to see hundreds of dried-up, tinsel-covered trees out on the curb in early January. So instead of heading out to a tree farm, you might consider bringing a live, potted tree into your home this winter....<br><br><a href='http://inhabitat.com/how-to-choose-a-living-christmas-tree-for-a-green-holiday-season/'>READ ARTICLE</a>

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Potted Christmas trees in a nursery

Nurseries in most parts of the country sell young pines and fir trees, and the best way to find a tree is to call around to local nurseries and ask what’s in stock.
Photo: Flickr user <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/33037982@N04/4086830060/in/photostream/">wallygrom</a>

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Christmas Tree Farm in Oregon

But if you don’t want to deal with the hassle of finding a home for your tree after the holidays are over, a tree rental service might be a better option
Photo: Flickr user <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/wonderlane/6253249096/sizes/z/in/photostream/">Wonderlane</a>

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Friends of the Urban Forest Christmas Trees

When selecting a living Christmas tree, it’s important to choose one that grows naturally in your region so that once it’s replanted it will survive — hopefully — for many years to come.
Photo: <a href="http://www.sfenvironment.com/greenchristmas/">Friends of the Urban Forest and SF Environment</a>

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Living Pine Tree

To ensure that the tree remains hearty enough to survive outside, don't keep the tree indoors for more than a couple of weeks.
Photo: Flickr user <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/jowo/5286248581/">joeldinda</a>

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Potted Christmas trees in San Jose

After the holidays are over you can donate the tree to a local parks department, church or school, or you can keep it an plant it yourself. If you rent a tree, the rental service will come a pick it up after Christmas.
Photo: Flickr user <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/ourcityforest/4346098029/">Our City Forest</a>

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Living Christmas Tree on Main Street

If you live in a very cold area, you might have to keep the tree in a pot for a couple of months before you can plant it in the ground again.

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Re-plantable Xmas Trees

It takes about 10 years for a Christmas tree to reach maturity, and it’s a shame to kill a tree just so it can prop up ornaments and lights for a couple of weeks. Even though many cities do an admirable job of <a href="http://inhabitat.com/recycling-your-xmas-tree/">recycling trees</a> (or ‘treecycling’) after the holidays are over, it’s always a bit depressing to see hundreds of dried-up, tinsel-covered trees out on the curb in early January. So instead of heading out to a tree farm, you might consider bringing a live, potted tree into your home this winter....<br><br><a href='http://inhabitat.com/how-to-choose-a-living-christmas-tree-for-a-green-holiday-season/'>READ ARTICLE</a>

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Replant Xmas Tree

It takes about 10 years for a Christmas tree to reach maturity, and it’s a shame to kill a tree just so it can prop up ornaments and lights for a couple of weeks. Even though many cities do an admirable job of recycling trees (or ‘treecycling’) after the holidays are over, it’s always a bit depressing to see hundreds of dried-up, tinsel-covered trees out on the curb in early January. So instead of heading out to a tree farm, you might consider bringing a live, potted tree into your home this winter....